Has anyone taken MSM supplements for inflammation ?

[Paperroses]

Friend recently suggested it to me. She said it helps for lots of inflammation and also its good for allergies.

[piglette]

I keep away from supplements unless they are prescribed or recommended by my doctor. The vast majority are purely a good way of boosting the suppliers coffers. I suppose they could have the placebo effect.

[Kaaswinkel72 in reply to piglette]

Great answer Piglette...thank you....our group of PMR ers easily become target of all sort of providers who s “ medication has NOT gone through the golden standard of double controlled trials, that is wrong and we should not endorse that!

[tangocharlie in reply to piglette]

I've become more cynical over the years and keep away from things prescribed by doctors Things like Aloe Vera, L-glutamine and probiotics seem to be doing my guts good, whereas the things doctors prescribed such as Buscopan, PPIs and antibiotics made things worse. I've got allergies and the antihistamines they prescribe don't work either - this sounds like it's worth a try for me if not too expensive

[piglette in reply to tangocharlie]

I am quite cynical about what doctors prescribe too, having worked with the pharmaceutical industry for thirty years.

[benhemp]

I have used MSM frequently over the years and still do. It speeds healing from muscle, joint, and soft tissue injuries. (Besides human use, it is used a lot for horses after they've been raced and for dogs with sprains.) The S in MSM is for sulfur; all connective tissue (muscles, ligaments, cartilage, fascia) in the body needs sulfur for maintenance and repairs. MSM is a sulfur donor.

It is a very safe supplement to take; it has been called "about as toxic as water". You can take 1 teaspoon (my usual dose) or even 5 teaspoons a day (if you take too much, you will have loose bowels, but it won't make you sick).

MSM definitely speeds tissue repair: when I take it, I notice that my fingernails, toenails, and hair all grow faster! I find it very helpful for when I "over do" (for example, when splitting firewood or lifting heavy objects), but I have not found that it relieves the everyday pain/stiffness of PMR.

If you wish to know more about it, I recommend the book "The Miracle of MSM" by Stanley Jacob; the first half of the book outlines its discovery and its mode of speeding tissue repair, while the 2nd half of the book covers maladies for which it is helpful. If you decide to try it, be sure to get the crystalline powder and not capsules; the book says the powder works much better. (When I first learned of it, I tried MSM capsules and had no relief; but I noticed a lot of benefit when I tried it as a powder, so I believe the book is absolutely right in that regard.)

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to benhemp]

How do you take the powder?

[benhemp in reply to PMRpro]

I just dissolve a teaspoon of the MSM powder in a few ounces of warm tap water and then swig it down. It doesn't taste great, but it isn't revolting either. I'd describe it as slightly bitter. I have tried it in coffee, thinking to hide the taste, but I found it ruins a good cup of coffee. I have also taken it in a cup of tea, and find that more acceptable. But I've settled on just dissolving it in warm water and then following it with some more water to cleanse the palate.

[Suffererc]

What is MSM please

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Suffererc]

webmd.com/vitamins-and-supp...

[tangocharlie]

I think I should try it - it MAY help with allergies, oedema, bladder, skin, constipation etc etc, I tick all those boxes. I'm at the stage anything is worth a go. Thanks for posting

[LIVEORDIEHEREIAM in reply to tangocharlie]

I have a similar list of problems to yours and going to ask my Dr. next week if she has any problem with my taking MSM. I'm down to 6.5 mg pred for GCA & PMR so my arthritis is beginning to be more of a pain! Good luck!

[tangocharlie in reply to LIVEORDIEHEREIAM]

I'm currently sprinkling quercetin, camu camu, potato starch on foods or drinking with water and multi-vit with niacin and everything else thrown in as I've read all of these can help with allergies. Who knows. Meanwhile trying to get help from Immunology who are reluctant to get involved with mast cell issues (which is what I think I have). They did prescribe Montelukast though which has made a big difference (a mast cell stabiliser also used for asthma)

[Jan_Noack]

I think it did help me when I tried it a long time ago..20 years? it came with glucosamine mostly though and the glucosamine did not help and I felt the glucosamine put my blood sugars up. when I tried it with something else..and I forget what now it seemed to help a little. I probably should try it again..just that I take sooo much now and maybe it's as one gets older the no of meds starts to get too much to cope with.. sad isn't it

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Jan_Noack]

Not to mention that the larger the number of drugs and supplements - the greater the potential for interactions.

[Jan_Noack in reply to PMRpro]

good point!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Jan_Noack]

I have a thing about polypharmacy - and that's why I refuse to take anything "just in case" and am really unhappy about most "steroid sparers".

[Paperroses in reply to Jan_Noack]

I was told just to try msm , not the one with condroitin. Its not something that would interact with drugs supposedly.